SERIE A MATCH REPORT

Siena earned their first win of the season with a shocking 2-0 victory at San Siro, as wasteful Inter paid the price for counter-attacks.

The Nerazzurri were hoping to finally end the San Siro taboo, as so far this season Inter and Milan have failed to win any of their home games in all competition. Andrea Stramaccioni was without Rodrigo Palacio, DejanStankovic, MacDonald Mariga and Gaby Mudingayi, but CristianChivu returned from a long lay-off for a spot on the bench. The real news was that Javier Zanetti was rested for the first time since December 2008! Siena had scraped two points from three rounds, but had never won in Milan. They missed Andrea Campagnolo and MatteoContini.

Antonio Cassano squirmed away from Neto to pull back from the by-line, but FredyGuarin came sliding in just unable to get the final touch at the back post.

Siena were certainly not sitting back to soak up pressure, as Angelo’s marauding runs down the right caused numerous problems. EmanueleCalaio’s diving header couldn’t quite get on the end of a dangerous Cristiano Del Grosso cross.

SamirHandanovic had to dive in to palm a low cross off the foot of Ze Eduardo from six yards, as Siena stepped up the pressure with a smart Calaio assist. GianlucaPegolofingertipped an Esteban Cambiasso header over the bar.

Inter almost scored a ludicrous own goal, as Handanovic missed the GaetanoD’Agostino corner and Andrea Ranocchia’s clearance was inches over the bar as it hit him from a couple of yards out.

Sneijder unleashed a fierce long-range right-foot strike that Pegolo palmed out from under the crossbar.

Inter really should’ve been in front on 35 minutes. Sneijder was alone on goal with a classic counter-attack sparked by Cassano, but opted to roll the ball across to Milito, who wasn’t as fast as he expected him to be, so the chance went begging. The Dutchman ought to have gone for goal himself from that position.

Pegolo did well to beat away a powerful Sneijder free kick, then the Siena goalkeeper performed another great save to deny Ranocchia’s glancing header from an Alvaro Pereira cross.

Pegolo flapped at a deflected Sneijder effort and Alessandro Rosina blasted a couple of attempts just off target.

YutoNagatomo needed a desperate intervention to stop Calaio tapping in from eight yards and another promising Cassano counter-attack was wasted horribly by Ricky Alvarez.

Siena were always in the game and took a shock lead at San Siro with a classic counter-attack. Rosina skipped past Walter Gargano down the right, then Simone Vergassola exchanged passes with Ze Eduardo to carve the Inter defence apart, placing a precise angled drive across Handanovic.

Handanovic also had to push a Calaio header off the line with Pegolo doing the same on Philippe Coutinho’s shot.

Siena made the result safe in stoppages with another counter-attack, as Andrea Sestu burst past Juan Jesus down the right and crossed for Francesco Valiani’s header at the back post.